www.RogerWendell.com
Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic Evolution^SM

Overpaid/Underworked Government Employees
and the Bureaucratic Leviathan

Internal Revenue Service employees and the Cupid Dance...

Bureaucrats - wasting our national treasure on expensive/needless programs and foreign giveaways Government employee unions - a public conflict of interest that costs taxpayers dearly Government debt - state and federal debt remains unsustainable and is theft against the younger generation Taxes - too high at all levels of government with little or no return-on-investment for the citizenry

Click Here for my page about government spooks..."

Tyranny

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."   - C. S. Lewis

Government Keeps Taking...

"I would say my position is not too far from that of Ayn Rand's; that I would like to see government reduced to no more than internal police and courts, external armed forces-with the other matters handled otherwise. I'm sick of the way the government sticks its nose into everything, now... It seems to me that every time we manage to establish one freedom, they take another away. Maybe two."   - Robert A. Heinlein

Government Keeps Growing...

"No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!"   - President Ronald Reagan

Government Employee Unions - a public conflict of interest!

Don't get me wrong, I take a very dim view of the huge concentration of wealth and power that's taken place in our society over the past three or four decades that I've been an adult. Nevertheless, two wrongs don't make a right - overpaid public-sector unions don't have a right to strap the American taxpayer for so little EVA (Economic Value Added, i.e., lots of pay and benefits, compared to the private sector, for miniscule output). In early 2011 this theme became popular when Wisconsin, and other states, attempted to rein-in their gigantic deficits by controlling or eliminating collective bargaining in the public sector. I, myself, publicly addressed the issue nearly three decades ago but it was at a time when the economy was relatively strong and jobs were plentiful. Despite that era's prosperity it was clear to me, and others, that the huge burden public sector unions were placing on government entities was simply unsustainable. So, in 2011, during the Great Recession, our economic chickens came home to roost...

Anyway, what it amounts to is that inefficient, overpaid, underworked, and often times corrupt - fire fighters, police, street workers, teachers, college professors, administrators, and a whole host of others on the government payroll have taken more than they'll ever give back. In private industry it wouldn't raise much concern because an inefficient business would simply succumb to competition (take, for example, the various car companies and their unions that went under at around the time of the millennium). However, in the world of government employment there are no such checks and balances - unionized government workers demand more and more while regular working people are required to endure higher taxes, poorer service, and a diminished quality of life.

During the Great Recession of 2008 - 2011 things started coming to a head as local and state governments found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy while their employee unions continued demanding more than what the people could afford. In Wisconsin and other bankrupt states union thugs rolled out in force to squeeze more and more from government coughers that had simply run dry. In response, I created this page (and related domain names) as a way of not only fighting back but also to set the record straight. Having held jobs in various municipal and federal agencies, myself, I had witnessed firsthand the corruption capable of government employees and their unions. But, all of the blame can't be placed on just the unions themselves - we mustn't forget that it was the elected officials and government bureaucrats that continually caved-in to union demands at the public's expense. Why? Because many of those running for office were financed and supported by the unions - a horribly corrupt system that perpetuated itself at the expense of the rest of us - a definite conflict of interest!

Yes, I know that in the times before unions people (and, sadly, children) were grossly overworked and underpaid throughout large segments of our economy. But, that was many decades ago - since then countless laws have been enacted that guarantee a minimum wage, safe and healthy working conditions, and overtime for anything over a 40 hour work week. So, why would a union be needed - especially in government employment?? With hard work and determination we can ban together to eliminate the stranglehold government employees and their unions have on the American taxpayer - our economy can simply afford nothing less...

Late-Stage Republic:
(How incompetent morons end up running government offices and agencies)

Jesse Kelly, during his March 6th, 2023 show (last part of the second hour) described how such pathetically incompetent, inept people end up in charge of various government offices and agencies. The following is my transcription of his monologue where it started out with Biden's poor choice to head the Federal Aviation Administration:   "That's the man [Phil Washington] who's been nominated to be the head the FAA, that's a big-time post, this was him trying to answer the most basic questions about the air."   [Jesse plays the recording of a senate committee member asking Washington some simple aviation questions that he wasn't able to answer]   "How does that happen? Well, in a late-stage republic, or any nation, it doesn't have to be a republic, when a nation that was powerful, mega powerful, begins to crumble. When the pillars begin to get cracks in 'em and crumble and fall apart, and it's gettin' shaky. What happens is, as we've discussed before, the people who lead the nation, like the people who lead ours,Remember the same three characteristics they all have in common;

"Well as a king and a queen, you obviously want to reign over a huge empire that's mega powerful but, you'll take being king or queen of the ashes as well. So, let's say you're king, queen, you're “King Joe Biden” of America, the crumbling late-stage republic. Would you rather have America in 1950, of course, but instead you get the America in 2023, okay, that sucks. And what happens, is, the people lose such a connection to the leaders, and the leaders have no connection to the people again, back to point two, they don't even know how normal people live. That they start to really, really loathe each other.
 
"I don't know about you, look I hate these people. I look at the people who run our government and I hate them, I genuinely do, I hate what they've done to my country. And I know, I'm not naïve, I know they feel the same way about me. That if they could, they would lock me up and throw away the key, or worse, I know they would. Look, I'll do the same to them, by the way, the same thing, I would do the same thing to them. Okay, so that's where we are with that.
 
"Now, let's get to the 'no love of country part.' If you were in charge of America, and you were watching America crumble, you were watching the pillars develop these cracks and crumble, what would you do? Because you're filled with love of your country, as you should be, and that's a good thing, because you're filled with that, you would dig-in and try to fix things. 'Hey, let's get some crews in here, let's patch-up these pillars.' You would do anything to save your country.
 
"But because of that last characteristic, which is actually the first one I list every time, 'No love of country,' when you become king of that, and you're watching it crumble, that doesn't stir you. Watching America crumble doesn't stir Biden, or a single person in his administration, or really most people in the federal government. Heck, half these people think America deserves to crumble, they're thrilled about it.
 
"So what do you do? Well, if the vandals are at Rome's door, and you care about Rome, you will grab a sword and a shield, and you'll run to the front gate because you're going to try and save Rome. But if the vandals are at Rome's door, and you don't care about Rome at all, if you're not mindful of Rome, and, you happen to have the keys to the treasury, well [Jesse's emphasis], 'Forget about the front gate, hey I know where there's a side gate! We're gonna stop by the old treasury with a carriage here and load her on up and cruise on out.' You're going to loot the treasury first.
 
"These people no longer even pretend to fill critical government positions with qualified people. And that was something, even Obama did that. Now Obama didn't fill it with qualified people, I need to clarify, but at least he gave the illusion of it. Janet Yellen is a weapons grade moron. But at least Janet Yellen has the background where you could justify making Janet Yellen a treasury secretary, if you just looked at her resume, you'd say, 'Okay, well that's somebody who clearly can be treasury secretary, I get that.' But that's gone now. Now they don't feel the need to pretend. That's why you have, well that's why you have this woman as the press secretary. Do keep in mind it's the press secretary's job to be the voice of the entire world of the White House.
 
[Jesse plays a recording of a reporter asking about Biden seeming to laugh about a mother who lost two sons to Fentanyl]  
"You know, I'm not even going to bother sitting here making you suffer through this answer. Our press secretary [Karine Jean-Pierre] can't talk. The head of the DHS [Alejandro Mayorkas] has no border experience, he opened up the border on purpose. The transportation secretary [Peter Buttigieg], the rear admiral, we'll get to him in a moment, he was the mayor of a small town in Indiana, no qualifications whatsoever. The head of the FAA, or proposed head of the FAA, doesn't know anything, nothing, about air travel. Nothing.
 
"Because you live in a late-stage republic this is the looting of the treasury stage. Where you get elected, and you don't even attempt to hand out posts that even look appropriate. You don't stress looking appropriate. You get elected and you hand out posts to your friends, and allies, and potential allies so that they can join you down at the treasury, and take as much as they can while the vandals batter down Rome's gates.
 
"I know that hurts, it doesn't feel great to say it. But it is true. Look, it's what we've got. Got a long row to hoe ahead of us, we do. Got a long row to hoe."

Public Sector Unions:

Private sector unions usually have some interest in the business staying profitable so that their union jobs don't go away. Profit isn't a concern to public sector (government) unions since their jobs aren't going to go away. So there's no incentive for unionized government employees to do anything other than take as much as they can get from taxpayers. Citizens can't "decide" not to pay taxes if they don't like the quality of policing, roads, schools, or other government "services." Taxes are mandatory regardless how poorly unionized government employees perform. In the private sector if I don't like the quality of a union-made shirt I simply don't make the purchase. The unions behind the manufacture of shirts have an incentive to protect quality and remain competitive. Public sector (government) unions have no incentive to protect quality or cost, so they serve no purpose for the common good.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Portion of his letter to the Federation of Federal Employees August 16, 1937

"...meticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government."

"All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters."

"Particularly, I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of Government employees. Upon employees in the Federal service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of Government activities. This obligation is paramount."

My Union Card

Yes, I have belonged to unions in the past! And, I do believe that working people need/deserve good paying jobs with benefits commensurable to the skills and value they bring to the marketplace - not only because it's the right thing to do but because our entire society benefits from a more equitable distribution of wealth. However, with the exception of the Ironworkers (see photo at left - back in '79 they were a hardworking, honorable bunch) the other unions I belonged to encouraged sloth, protected our worst workers, contributed part of my dues to political campaigns I didn't believe in - all while lining the pockets of stewards, local officers and business agents. Well, who decides when a teacher, police officer, administrator, or other public-sector employee is overpaid or underworked? Answer: The marketplace! You know something is amiss when, even during an "up" economy, the line of qualified applicants for a government job goes out the door. Almost without exception, announcements for government job vacancies are met with more applications than the hiring office can handle. Do you think that's because the pay is too low or the work too hard? Why is there always so much interest in a government job? The average worker and taxpayer can't long afford the largess unions have forced on them - it's time for a change!

Teachers Unions

by Mike Rosen during the 10 O'clock hour of his October 18, 2011 Jefferson County School Board election show on KHOW, 850 AM, Denver: "The teacher unions exist primarily for the purpose of advancing the interests of the members of the teacher union. It's not for the children. The children are incidental. Any labor union works to advance the cause of its rank and file dues paying members. Another thing labor unions do, is avoid any competition among its membership [Rosen's emphasis]. That's why labor unions like to be compensated on a contractual basis, based on not performance, but seniority. And public education is no different. If there's a need for layoffs, in a public school, union bumping is the way it works under the contract. That is, the people with the most seniority, regardless of their performance and their ability, they keep their jobs. The least senior members, who have tenure are the ones that get laid off. The ones without tenure are obviously the first to go."

Teacher Sickouts

Public teachers and their unions have been taking too much from taxpayers for too long. Despite worsening student achievement teachers and their unions continue demanding more pay even though there are long (very long) lines of qualified candidates anytime a teaching job becomes vacant here in Colorado. The mentality of teachers and their unions was put on full display when dozens of teaches walked off the job (called-in "sick" or took leave) at Conifer and Standley Lake high schools on September 20, 2014. These Jefferson County schools had to cancel classes because teachers were upset about a new pay model that's based on performance. Although the Jefferson County Education Association (the teachers union) sent out a statement that said it did not organize the protests it was no secret there were plans for an organized action as teachers are upset over the new pay-for-performance requirements. Interesting to note, too, that on the day of the illegal walkout the Jefferson County Education Association's website, at the top of the main page, still stated, "Our mission is to serve as the active voice of our members; promote quality and equity in public schools; expand and protect the rights and interests of our members; and advocate human, civil and economic rights for all." [Ed. Note: The union doesn't mention much about student achievement, taxpayer rights, or school choice!]

Corrupt Curriculum

"Children in classrooms throughout America are being indoctrinated with Critical Race Theory (CRT), white children are taught that they were born privileged and advantaged, and students study lessons prepared by the disgraceful New York Times 1619 Project; Black Lives Matter, and openly Marxist and often violent organization that actively seeks the elimination of capitalism and the American governing system, is celebrated.   Moreover, in school district after school district, teachers are being trained to confront their white privilege and taught to refocus their knowledge of history to accommodate CRT. One need only scan the Internet for endless examples. Students and teachers are being forced to spend time on other intersectional ideologies and their politics, including gender identity and gender rights"   - Mark Levin in his book, American Marxism, p. 221

Postal Unions

Although the Postal Service was near financial collapse in 2011-2012, their unions wouldn't
give an inch and management remained petrified with indecision and inability. In early 2011
both parties negotiated yet another no-layoff clause despite plummeting volumes and huge
debt - obviously the strategy of both parties was to seek another taxpayer bailout without
efficiency improvements or planning for the future.

The following letter was posted here with permission:

(Click on this image for a larger view of the original letter)

Letters to the Editor Postal Union,                                                                                                                         Dec. 22, 2008 Denver, Colorado Greetings! So, you guys now have to lay off employees. Well good. Working as a casual at three different facilities in Denver I never saw such laziness, disregard for duty, backstabbing and phoniness in my life in an organization. Half the people who work for the Post Office deserve to lose their jobs. I've seen Union reps who strut around the premises when they should be working instead act like Mafia goons trying to intimidate managers. As a casual I often got treated like crap and often worked while my union co-worker screwed around or slept. Maybe some of you will have to go out and get real jobs and really have to work for a change. This is not to disparage those who really do have to work hard at their jobs like a lot of the Vietnamese I saw working the night shift or the mail carriers. What goes around comes around. I'll be glad to see some or your boys get it. Remember to use the Internet - it's bringing the Post Office to its knees one e-mail at a time. Roger Freed Roger Freed Fairbanks, AK 99709

The Mountaineer
American Postal Workers Union
Denver Metro Area Local
Winter 2009, p. 2

Union employee sleeping on duty in a storage closet

Mr. Freed,                                                                                                                         January 14, 2009 In response to your letter dated December 22, your attack on this union is unwarranted and hateful. It appears you have no understanding of what it means to carry a union card. It means when one of us is attacked, we all are being attacked. My union card also symbolizes a level of commitment to work for better pay and benefits, as well as dignity and respect on the job. It appears you don't know anything about that. As the second largest employer in the United States, your opinion of a couple co-workers in the plant doesn't reflect the entire force. Postal workers are a part of the fabric of every American community and according to the American public, the United States Postal Service was rated the most trusted government agency for the third year in a row. With the economy mired in crisis and the Postal Service facing the most serious challenges in its history, the American Postal Workers Union intends to pursue an ambitious legislative agenda in order to protect our hard won rights and benefits. And, if I may correct your message, to date, there has not been a layoff in the history of the United States Postal Service. Being a union member requires our determination to speak to our nations [sic] leaders about issues that are important to postal employees and working families. Just like it was in the 1940's, it will be the collective voices of working men and women who will lead this nation to its rightful leadership role in the world we live in. You don't have to join a union to participate in the movement to change the direction of this country. Call up the Alaska AFL-CIO and join their "working America" program and stand shoulder to shoulder with your fellow Americans. Be a part of the change and stop hating.

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